This month, Fresh Beer Fulujia (福鹿家鲜啤), the freshly brewed beer brand incubated under Mixue Bingcheng (蜜雪冰城), announced the cancellation of its internal referral system, fully opening its franchise pipeline to external investors. Alongside the move, the brand rolled out a limited-time incentive package aimed at reducing the upfront pressure of opening during the colder, traditionally slower season.
Under the promotion, new franchisees receive a three-year waiver on franchise fees, normally priced at RMB 10,000 per year (about US $1,420), as well as a three-month winter exemption on management fees. In total, the policy reduces costs by RMB 34,500 (about US $4,899). Excluding rent and staffing, the brand estimates startup investment at roughly RMB 60,000 (about US $ 8,521), covering equipment, initial inventory, training and deposits. Existing partners opening additional stores are offered further reductions on design and training fees.
The incentives arrive as Fresh Beer Fulujia continues to scale rapidly. Founded in 2021, the brand crossed the 1,000-store mark in June and, as of December 1, reports more than 1,500 outlets Chinawide. Its footprint now spans over 300 prefecture-level cities across 22 provinces, three autonomous regions and three municipalities. November alone saw more than 150 new openings, with expansion accelerating beyond major cities into county-level markets.
Location strategy closely mirrors Mixue’s playbook: prioritising lower rents, standardised formats and value pricing. To address investor concerns around beer’s seasonal demand swings, the brand has also expanded its winter menu, introducing warmer-leaning and low-alcohol offerings designed to broaden consumption occasions.
Priced largely in the single-digit yuan range and featuring flavour profiles closer to new-style tea than traditional beer, Fresh Beer Fulujia is positioning itself around affordability, light drinking and everyday social use. Whether this formula can replicate Mixue Bingcheng’s scale in another category remains an open question – but its pace of expansion suggests the experiment is only accelerating.
